The final ten days of wedding prep and planning weren’t too hectic. We had enough time to get through our to-do list and pick up any items we needed for the wedding and rehearsal dinner.

Wednesday, September 5th

Sean made the place cards. We used cards from the Paper Source. Sean worked off a design from Noma (see below).

Thursday, September 6th

I took up my dentist on the free polishing he offered back in May when he found out I’d be getting married in September. He said he offers it for all his bride and groom patients. I couldn’t pass up anything free that comes with wedding prep.

Sunday, September 9th
I met with Andie to get my grays touched up and go a little darker. After flipping through some hairstyle books, I ditched my plan to go with an updo and we did a trial run for the day of.

At church that evening, I got excited thinking that the next time I’d be there for a service it’d be for my wedding mass. After the announcements, Fr. Ricky (our presiding priest, the one we’ve been meeting with since last July) asked the assembly to say a special prayer for us in our final week or preparation and planning. It was a special and emotional moment.

Later, I had an embarrassing bridezilla moment when I found out the hairstylist Lori hired for some of the bridesmaids would not travel to the hotel. I didn’t like the idea of everyone getting ready at other locations. After explaining my concerns to my parents and Lori, they worked something out to ensure everyone would be at the hotel by 10.

Monday, September 10th
I had planned to take the week off for work but ended up going in to the office since my parents assured me that everything was under control.

Tuesday, September 11th

Work vacation starts.

We figured out some final details with the caterer and modified the day of itinerary. Throughout the week, we tweaked the agenda some more as needed.

We did some shopping and picked up the rest of the items we needed for the out-of-towner welcome bags and assembled them. My parents provided chips, popcorn and granola bars from their pantry. Sean and I bought apples and bananas from Costco and Smart & Final. The mints, gum, and peanuts were from the 99 Cents Store.

Remember how our invitation designer, Noma, made several designs working around the same bicoastal theme? Sean repurposed some of the designs for the welcome note (handwritten), sticker on the welcome bags and local restaurant guide. My friend Gustavo Arellano came through with restaurant recommendations since he’s much more familiar with Orange County.

Wednesday, September 12th

We delivered the OOT bags to the hotel in Brea and did some shopping for gifts for those participating in the ceremony (readers, padrinos/sponsors, etc). Sean bought another gift for the groomsmen.

Sean’s parents, brothers and several other family members flew in that afternoon. We’d see them later that day.

Wedding stuff took over my apartment. It also took over my parents’ house.

Lori made a bathroom basket with anything we could ever need.

She also made 900 Mexican wedding cookies for the favors. The baking for the wedding wouldn’t end there as she put herself on cupcake duty.

Thursday, September 13th

After getting my nails done and eyebrows, upper lip waxed, I took it easy for the rest of the day to avoid messing up my nails. Sean had a busy day. He picked up Andrea, one of the bridesmaids, from the airport. Later, he met up with his father and brother to pick up their tuxedoes. I stayed home and read Junot Díaz’s new collection This Is How You Lose Her.

That evening, I dropped him off at his co-ed bachelor party and packed for the weekend.

Friday, September 14th

The morning was interesting since Sean was still recovering from the bachelor party. I stayed in trying to avoid the heat until we had to leave for the rehearsal. We had to change our original plan of checking in at the Embassy Suites in Brea since we would’ve never made it with the traffic. Plus, a few miles in Sean nearly had a heart attack when he realized that he forgot his tux in the closet. At least we had enough time to go back.

We stopped in East LA to pick up the favor bags Paulina left for us at her grandma’s house. My cousin offered to make the favors but she couldn’t have them ready until some of the supplies came in from Mexico on Thursday night with Fabiola (cousin/soloist for the ceremony). I chatted with my great aunts and cousins briefly before heading out to my mom’s house. We got ready quickly and then headed to St. John Vianney for the rehearsal.

A few years ago Lori attended a co-ed bachelor and bachelorette party at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. (Ugh, the Angels’ stadium would have an awkward and clunky name.) The couple rented out a luxury box and guests watched the game, ate and drank. Lori thought it was one of the coolest things ever. I was (a) jealous I didn’t go — not that I knew the couple or anything — and (b) couldn’t disagree. I probably said I’d like to do that whenever my time came around.

We didn’t go that route because Sean’s friends are in NY, plus Dodger Stadium isn’t his happy place and the Dodgers are not his favorite team. Plus, luxury boxes were out of our budget.

Instead, Lori planned a bachelorette outing that was local, low-key, all ages (one of the bridesmaids isn’t 21 yet), and recession friendly. We bought tickets via StubHub for the LA-based bridesmaides. Lori coordinated carpooling, rides, and our uniforms for the night.

We wore personalized navy blue and white raglan tees. Before printing them, she asked what I wanted on the shirts.

I suggested “La Novia” since it would be less obvious and look-at-me like other tanks/t-shirts I’ve seen for bachelorette parties. Only Spanish speakers would get the meaning behind the t-shirts. I also liked how they were a nod to my love for all things Lotería. (See: La Dama costume idea.)

Sean dropped me off at our meet up point in Elysian Park. It was quite the surprise to Nancy, Vanny, Valerie and Lori in their cute shirts. Even the numbers had some meaning behind them.

I also loved that Lori chose La Novia and Las Damas. Sean left us and we drove in to the massive parking lot. By the time we got to our seats, the game was in the third inning. Isa joined up with us a little later.

The actual game could’ve been better. We arrived at the game around the third inning. The Dodgers were already losing 1-0 to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Dodgers tied up the game in the bottom of the 6th and the game stayed that way until the 11th inning. We may have arrived late, but still got to watch a full game. [ESPN recap]

Since the game went in to extra innings, we weren’t allowed to go on the field for the usual Friday night fireworks show. That would’ve made for some fun pictures (sans Isa since she left at the end of the game).

After the game we met up with Sean at King Taco for tacos and sopes — way better than Dodger dogs. I think our shirts might’ve garnered more attention there than at the game. We went our own ways after that since the cousins and Lori live in the opposite direction than Sean and I.

I enjoyed my laid-back night out with my Lori, Isa and the cousins. I’ve been to several games with them over the years and they’ve all seen me through important moments in my life as well as really tough ones. With two weeks out, I couldn’t be more excited to have them at my side on my wedding day.

Thanks Lori, Nancy, Vanny, Valerie and Isa for taking me out to the ball game. Love you.

I miss wedding planning. That feels weird to admit.

I miss having a project to work on with Sean and my family. I’m sure there will be other opportunities, but for now everyone is just enjoying the down time until the next big party (perhaps the grandparents’ 70th anniversary?).

I understand now why there are bloggers on sites like WeddingBee who write several dozen posts about a single day, especially if they put in a lot of work in to making it happen.

There were a couple of pre-wedding events I didn’t put much work in to, namely the bridal shower and bachelorette outing.

First up: the bridal shower.

Lori and mom hosted my bridal shower at my family’s house four weeks before the wedding.

As the maid of honor, Lori took care of the invitations and planning out the decorations. Mom planned the menu (pasta, chicken, salad and veggies) and made aguas frescas. The other LA-based members of the bridesmaid team — Nancy, Vanny, Valerie and Isabel — helped out by making the decorations and planning some of the games.

The guests started arriving a little after six. I know they planned it for later in the day to avoid the heat, but it was still warm out.

Fortunately, it didn’t keep us from enjoying ourselves with some games. I joined in on a couple of games, but sat out making wedding dresses out of toilet paper. I judged the best dress during the fashion show. I chose the group representing three generations (Madrina Chilo, cousin Paty, and niece Desiree) for design and functionality. Some of the other dresses didn’t hold up as well. And there were some that could hardly be called a dress but got a lot of laughs.

After the games, I opened gifts. I untied the notes from the mirror Vanny made and checked out the notes. There were some cute drawings, funny and touching advice from women I greatly admire.

Before everyone left, I took a bunch of photos. Of course.

A few of my aunts and some cousins

The cousins/bridesmaids and friends mainly from UCLA days

I noticed during the party that there were several cute outfits in coral. I missed that trend this summer, but my friends/cousins looked great.

Many thanks to mom, Lori, dad (for work behind the scenes), Nancy, Vanny, Valerie, and tía Josie for planning a beautiful bridal shower.